SCI-TECH

A rare seabird is recovering from a successful and life-saving surgery. A fisherman from Anconcito, Ecuador, found the juvenile Salvin’s albatross after he noticed that it appeared unwell. The bird had ingested four large fishing hooks and some fishing line and was brought to Puerto Lopez for rehabilitation and care. Local veterinarian Ruben Aleman removed the discarded fishing gear from the bird. After some extra R&R, the bird was released in late October on a nearby beach in Manabí province.

“Through coordination with Ecuador’s Ministry of the Environment’s local representative (REMACOPSE) and a specialized veterinarian, we successfully removed four fishing hooks from the bird, including one that caused injuries to its esophagus,” Giovanny Suárez Espín, Ecuador Seabird Bycatch Coordinator for American Bird Conservancy, said in a statement.

“The type and size of the hooks suggest they came from the artisanal mahi-mahi fishery, which poses a risk to albatrosses. While reducing bycatch in this type of fishery is challenging, we continue to promote best practices and more sustainable tools to minimize incidental seabird capture.”

The Salvin’s albatross (also called Salvin’s mollymawk) is a rare seabird species. It breeds in several rugged and remote subantarctic islands south of New Zealand. They spend the majority of their life at sea, foraging around Australia and New Zealand during their breeding period. After breeding, they fly thousands of miles nonstop to the Pacific coast off South America for food.

Since seabirds are so mobile and live in such a large area, protecting them takes a great deal of effort. Researchers in Ecuador and Peru and New Zealand’s Department of Conservation work closely with each other to study this species, advocating the fishing industry to do whatever it can to prevent seabirds from ingesting discarded fishing gear or getting tangled in nets and traps.

“While we collect tracking data from devices attached to adult Salvin’s Albatross, currently information on the movements of juveniles comes solely from observations,” added New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) Senior Science Advisor Dr. Johannes Fischer. “DOC plans to fit trackers onto juveniles at the end of this breeding season through a collaboration with Universidad Científica del Sur in Lima, Peru, which will directly inform seabird research partnerships in Peru, Ecuador, and other countries.” 

Over the past 50 years, the Salvin’s albatross population has declined significantly. During the 1970s, there were roughly 88,000 breeding pairs, compared to about 50,000 today. These birds tend to begin breeding at 11 years old and only lay one egg per year. If the juveniles of the population are affected, there can be a long lag before negative impacts are seen.  

While seabird populations have declined by more than 70 percent since 1950, they’re essential to the health of the entire ocean for one reason–their poop. Seabird droppings nourish the whole ocean and island ecosystems. 

“These long-distance travelers depend on the productivity of the Humboldt Current to feed, yet each migration carries the silent risk of being hooked on longlines–a reminder that effective protection must transcend national boundaries,” said Dr. Carlos Zavalaga, Director of the Seabird Ecology and Conservation Research Unit from Universidad Cientifica del Sur, Lima, Peru.

Fishing vessels and equipment including gillnets, baited longlines, and trawls remain a major threat since they attract numerous foraging seabirds that are drawn to discarded fish and other food sources. In September, veterinarians in eastern Massachusetts successfully removed a large fishing hook from a black backed gull’s GI tract. 

“Seabirds are one of the most threatened groups of birds globally, facing additional threats like overfishing, climate change, plastic pollution, and habitat loss. We all need to work together to protect these remarkable, wide-ranging animals,” Fischer said.

In Ecuador, the American Bird Conservancy’s Marine Program has been working alongside artisanal longline fisheries to reduce bycatch by developing new methods that are safer for seabirds. 

“More than 2,000 fishers are helping us with bird conservation now,” said Espín. “The fishermen know that whenever they see a seabird species injured or one that has an issue, they have to let us know. And that’s what this fisherman colleague from Anconcito did.”

The post Rare seabird saved after swallowing four large fishhooks appeared first on Popular Science.

It’s a crisp, fall day in mid-November, and though your calendar is filled with evening get-togethers and morning runs, you’re feeling sluggish. All you really want to do is sleep in, or to curl up on the couch and nap. Are you being lazy, or do you really need more sleep as the temperature lowers and the amount of daylight decreases? The answer isn’t so clear-cut. 

“I don’t think we need more sleep as the days get shorter, but people will often feel sleepier,” says Dr. Karin Johnson, a sleep medicine specialist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), a global network of sleep medicine specialists that advances sleep health worldwide.

Reasons we feel more lethargic in winter and fall

Overall, we naturally tend to sleep more in winter and as the weather generally gets colder into fall. Johnson believes that there are a couple of theories as to why. “One is that when the days are shorter our melatonin levels are higher,” she says. Melatonin is a naturally produced hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. But having too much of it can make us drowsy and reduce our energy levels, causing us to want to snooze longer. 

“The other is that there’s more disruption to our circadian rhythm,” a body’s natural 24-hour clock which regulates our sleep-wake cycle. As daylight hours diminish, our circadian rhythm shifts. This can throw off our sleep schedules and lead to excess fatigue. “Especially if we’re not getting enough morning light.” 

We tend to spend more time indoors in winter as opposed to warmer months, meaning less natural light. This disconnects us from nature’s rhythms and can shift our natural sleep patterns. When mornings are dark it’s more difficult to get out of bed, since morning sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythm and signals our bodies to wake. 

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REM Sleep in Winter 

Data published in 2023 in the scientific journal Frontiers in Neuroscience shows that people experience longer REM sleep—the fourth and final stage of the sleep cycle which is when most dreaming occurs—in winter than they do in summer. REM sleep is essential to healthy brains, mood regulation, and mental clarity. 

While humans don’t “hibernate” like animals do, we do tend to go into a hibernation-like mode when the seasons change: slowing down, eating heartier foods, and feeling more lethargic overall. Our bodies also compensate for less sunlight by providing us with more REM sleep.

The roles of temperature and food in sleep 

“In general, people sleep better when it’s cooler,” says Johnson. However, if it’s cold outside and we jack up the heat, then we might become even sleepier. Our bodies also work harder to preserve heat when it’s cold out, which can bring on “winter fatigue” and make us feel groggier. 

We tend to eat heavier, more carbohydrate-dense foods (a.k.a. “comfort foods”) in winter, which can lower our overall energy level since these types of meals take longer to digest. With less energy, we’re also prone to less exercise. It’s almost a ricochet effect. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) 

About five percent of adults in the U.S. experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), symptoms of depression that occur during the winter months. SAD is linked to reduced sunlight, which along with increasing melatonin levels and disrupting our circadian rhythms, also reduces the amount of serotonin—a natural mood enhancer—that our bodies produce. Feeling sleepy is often a common symptom. 

How to handle winter sluggishness

In short, while our bodies might not have a biological need for more sleep in winter, changes in daylight, diets, temperatures, and moods often make us want to stay in bed longer. Which is OK. The trick, says Johnson, is sticking to a schedule. 

“Sleep when it feels natural. Wake when you feel refreshed,” she says. “Just make sure you prioritize time for sleep, which a lot of people don’t do.” Johnson stresses the importance of morning light in keeping up with our daily routines. “If you don’t get that natural light exposure, using a light box for about 30 minutes each morning can be very helpful.”

Since most people’s waking time is usually out of our control due to school or work schedules, Johnson says going to sleep earlier in the winter might help accommodate human seasonality. “Try turning off electronics in the evening, keep a regular eating schedule during the day, and make sure you’re getting good exercise.” It’s about adjusting to the season as much as possible, which simply might mean sleeping more. 

And really, what’s so wrong with an extra hour or two of zzzs?

This story is part of Popular Science’s Ask Us Anything series, where we answer your most outlandish, mind-burning questions, from the ordinary to the off-the-wall. Have something you’ve always wanted to know? Ask us.

The post Do you need more sleep in fall and winter? Probably. appeared first on Popular Science.